Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, and I am just a crazy fan-girl with too much free time since finals ended.
A/N: I know it's kind of weird, but I love ancient mythology, and read the old stories the way most people read fairy tales. I am aware that not everyone knows these stories, and won't think my Harry Potter version is as cool as I do. If you are interested, you can read about the Judgment of Paris at the following web site:
www(dot)pantheon(dot)org/areas/mythology/europe/greekpeople/articles.html (click on "Paris" in the article list.)
Let me know what you think!
.o.o.o.
The Golden Apple
.o.o.o.
It was a rather uneventful weekend at Hogwarts, cold and gray with no Qudditch and no Hogsmeade visit. Midterms were coming up, and most of the students could be found studying in small groups. Harry sat with Ron and Neville. Hermione had been called away by a group of girls with questions about charms, and the three boys were happy to see her go. Hermione could get a bit crazy during exams.
Now the girls were huddled around the circular coffee table in front of the fire, books open and discussing something very intently. Judging by the way they were giggling, Harry didn't think their topic of conversation had anything to do with classes.
"Do you suppose they're talking about us?" Ron asked.
"Probably. They always giggle like that when they talk about boys," Neville replied.
Harry scanned the room at random, and his eyes landed on Fred and George. They were facing a wall, with their homework books scattered around them. Their friend Lee was trying not to laugh too loudly at whatever they were saying.
Harry's curiosity peaked, and he cautiously wandered over to the twins and enquired as to what they were doing.
"We're creating a bit of entertainment for ourselves," replied Fred.
"It's been a boring weekend, don't you think?" George continued.
Harry had a hard time thinking that anything in the wizarding world, with the exception of History of Magic class, was boring, but he had to agree that things hadn't been as lively around the Gryffindor tower as usual. Everyone was too busy focusing on how to not fail their tests.
"What are you planning?" he asked the twins.
"Watch," said Fred.
He held apple. It was charmed to appear solid gold, and shimmer in the light. It had a little card tied to the stem. George pointed his wand at it and said, "Wingardium Leviosa." Harry watched the apple float to a table right in the middle of a group of the not-studying girls.
It was a moment before any of them noticed. Parvati was the first.
"Hey, what's that?" Parvati asked, and all of the girls looked at the small shiny object in front of them.
Hermione picked it up, and read from the card.: "To the fairest maiden of Gryffindor tower."
"Ooh, I'll bet it's a love token from one of the guys!" exclaimed Alicia. She was a tough chaser, but a hopeless romantic at heart.
"But to which of us?" the usually quite practical Angelina asked.
Lavender reached over and plucked the apple from Hermione's hand. "It's for me, of course," she said. "I am the prettiest and most popular girl in Gryffindor, after all."
"You're mad!" Ginny cried. "You will never be more popular than me!" She grabbed the apple away from Lavender and spun it between her fingers, entranced by the pretty golden shimmer.
"We don't even know who sent it," Hermione tried to reason. "It could be a trick!"
But soon she was caught up in the argument with the rest of the girls, while the Gryffindor boys sat back and laughed at the spectacle.
In the end it was decided among the girls that a boy who would cause such a ruckus between them was childish and not worth their love, and the apple was displayed above the mantle as a symbol of beauty.
There were three girls, however, who each still thought she was the best of the group.
"I am smarter and better at my lessons than any of them," thought Hermione, thinking of how dedicated she was to everything she did. "I deserve that apple."
"I am sexier and more popular than any girl here," thought Ginny, thinking of her many sexual conquests. "I deserve that apple."
"I am prettier and more insightful than any of than," thought Lavender, thinking of her popularity, and the good advice she always gave (she was, after all, naturally talented in Divination). "I deserve that apple."
.o.o.o.
By the next day most of the girls had moved on from the "apple incident," but Hermione, Lavender, and Ginny were still at each other's throats. Each was convinced of her superiority.
Not wanting to get caught in the middle of the argument, most of the boys avoided them. Harry, however, was accosted.
He was on his way out of the tower, which involved walking past the three arguing girls. He tried to slip by unnoticed, but it was no use. Ginny grabbed his arm and tugged him into their little circle of hate.
I should have used the invisibility cloak, Harry lamented.
"Harry, you're quite popular. Who do you think is the fairest maiden of Gryffindor?" Ginny demanded. She was far too close to him, and Harry tried to back away. He succeeded only in running into Lavender.
"I don't want to be popular, I just am because of the scar on my head," Harry replied, completely ignoring the question. He really did not want to be in the middle of this. This could only lead to trouble, no matter which girl he chose. His panicked mind ran through ways to get out of this situation.
"Oh, but Harry, you're so brave for fighting You-Know-Who," Hermione said sweetly. She reached up to touch the scar in question. Harry winced. "What would we do without our hero?" she continued.
"And let's not forget how bloody cute you are," Lavender purred in his ear.
Harry didn't realize just how close she was until that moment. He jerked away from her, and landed in Hermione's arms. He tried to get away, but the hands of three different girls clung tightly to his robes.
There must be a way out of this! He thought. I can't be the only judge they can find... Wait, that might work!
"Surely there must be someone more popular and- er- cuter than me," he replied nervously over their sugar-coated chatter.
The girls shut up long enough to think about those words.
"I mean, only the most beautiful guy in Hogwarts could pick who the most beautiful girl is, don't you think?" Harry pushed. "And with my uncontrollable hair and weird scar, I can't possibly be him."
"I think you're right," Lavender said slowly.
"We need to find the most beautiful boy at Hogwarts to act as judge," agreed Hermione.
"I think I know just the guy," Ginny said with a devious smile.
Harry let out a sigh of relief, thinking the girls would go off to find the poor guy on their own, and he would be left to continue about his day peacefully. He was very much looking forward to a leisurely broom-ride above the castle once he finished his homework.
He couldn't have been more wrong however. Ginny took a firm grasp on his left arm, and Hermione grabbed his right. Before he could process what was happening, Harry was being dragged out of Gryffindor tower with the girls.
.o.o.o.
Hermione, Ginny, and Lavender found their target as he was headed into the library. At first Harry thought it was a cruel joke, but no.
"Malfoy!" Hermione called.
The blond turned and glared down the hall at them. "What do you want, Granger?" he asked. He placed one hand on his hip, and let the other brush against his thigh. Draco always managed to strike a seductive pose, whether he tried or not.
No, not Draco, Thought Harry. Malfoy. And Malfoy is not seductive. He's an evil, arrogant, oh-so-delectible git. Harry thought about that for another moment. Scratch the delectable part.
"You are cunning and beautiful, and we need your help," Ginny said sweetly as they approached the Slytherin.
How could Draco turn down such blatant sucking up? He brushed his hair away from his face, gave the group in front of him one of his trademark Malfoy smirks, and said "Since you asked so nicely, all right."
Harry wanted to touch that soft blond hair.
Evil thoughts! Stay focused! This is Malfoy, he could hex you at any second, Harry reminded himself.
Lavender stepped forward. "We need to know which of us is the fairest maiden of Gryffindor tower," she said, gesturing to herself, Ginny, and Hermione.
"And how am I to choose?" Draco asked.
"Well," Lavender offered, "I am pretty and popular. I can tell your future and help you to become popular and successful."
Not one to be left out, Hermione pushed Lavender aside. "I am far more intelligent than she is. I can offer you knowledge, help you study. You'll ace all your tests from now until we leave Hogwarts,."
Ginny pushed between the two older girls. "I am far hotter that either of them, and have more experience with boys," she said. "I can help you to seduce any Gryffindor of your choice."
Throughout this exchange, Harry stood uncomfortably in the background. The girls had finally let go of him, but he was afraid that if he tried to run away they would hex him. He was also transfixed by the way Draco's eyes kept seeking out his own.
Not Draco. Malfoy.
Draco weighed his options. He had all the popularity and fortune he would ever need, and that made up plenty for his average grades. The one thing he didn't have was a certain Gryffindor.
So Draco, being the vain git that he is, chose the last.
Ginny whooped triumphantly and turned on the other two girls. Draco interrupted her gloating to remind her of her offer.
"And which Gryffindor heart do you desire?" Ginny asked.
Draco shifted his silver gaze to capture green. Harry stumbled backwards, but Draco grabbed his arm.
"The heart I desire belongs to Harry Potter," Draco said as he pulled the panicked boy close.
Ginny, Hermione, and Lavender watched in shock as Draco planted a firm and possessive kiss on Harry's lips. They were even more shocked when Harry wrapped his arms around the Slytherin and kissed him back.
.o.o.o.
When Fred and George found out the result of their twisted little prank, they simply smiled in amusement.
"I think it's time to create a new bit of trouble," Fred said.
"Oh, I agree, dear brother," George replied. "For our next bit, I'm thinking of something with a large wooden horse."